What Caught My Eye Today

Middle East - Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be named as special envoy for the international diplomatic Quartet, made up of the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia, on the Middle East with a portfolio focused on Palestinian economic and political reform. Blair's new job will deal primarily with helping the Palestinian Authority build political institutions and will not, at least at first, involve direct mediation or negotiation between the Palestinians and Israelis. The post is expected to be unpaid but will come with staff and logistical support. No pay? What's that all about? Maybe Blair is angling to get himself a Nobel Peace Prize. Of course, Tony does have that government pension to fall back on, so he should continue to be able to put food on the table.

Pope - Pope Benedict XVI has changed the rules for electing a new pope, returning to the traditional requirement that two-thirds of the cardinals in the conclave agree on a candidate. Pope John Paul II had altered the voting process in 1996, allowing the pope to be chosen by an absolute majority if the cardinals were unable to agree after several days of balloting in which a two-thirds majority was needed. Do you get the feeling that before he succeeded John Paul II, Benedict XVI must have been awfully frustrated with the direction that the pontiff was taking the Church?

Domestic Violence - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son before hanging himself in his weight room. Authorities also said they are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old son who were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. World Wrestling Entertainment said on its Web site that it asked authorities to check on Benoit and his family after being alerted by friends who received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning." Alright, I'll admit it; I using to watch pro wrestling back in the day. Benoit was one of my favorite old school wrestlers relying on moves, as opposed to foreign objects, to beat his opponents. Truly a tragic set of circumstances.

Paris Hilton - A smiling Paris Hilton walked out of a Los Angeles County jail early Tuesday, officially ending a bizarre, three-week stay that ignited furious debate over celebrity treatment in the jail system. The hotel heiress will complete her probation in March 2009 as long as she keeps her driver's license current and doesn't break any laws. She can reduce that time by 12 months if she does community service that could include a public-service announcement, the city attorney's office has said. Hilton's stay there cost taxpayers $1,109.78 a day, more than 10 times the cost of housing inmates in the general population. Always nice to see those taxpayer dollars at work.

Joke Of The Day - As a wise man once said, 'laughter is the best medicine.'

This morning on the Interstate, I looked over to my left and there was a woman in a brand new Cadillac doing 65 mph with her face up next to her rearview mirror putting on her eyeliner. I looked away for a couple seconds and when I looked back she was halfway over in my lane, still working on that makeup. As a man, I don't scare easily, but she scared me so much, I dropped my electric shaver, which knocked the donut out of my other hand. In all the confusion of trying to straighten out the car using my knees against the steering wheel, it knocked my cell phone away from my ear which fell into the coffee between my legs, splashed, and burned Big Jim and the Twins, ruined the damn phone, soaked my trousers, and disconnected an important call. Damn women drivers!